Back to the Beginning Again
by Murmur0810
Summary: I have no idea what to write as a summary...MattJulie...Fantabulousness....made even more fantabulous by the fact that nowhere in this story except the summary do I use the word fantabulous.
1. Hope is the dream of a soul awake

Matt absentmindedly scratched the back of his head, unsure of the disturbance that had just roused him from a particularly pleasant dream.

He had been running (it was the state finals) dodging, weaving…it was as if his body wasn't his own. The football gods had come down from heaven for that one night just to guide Matt to the championship. And then afterwards, Julie, with her long blond hair bouncing on the breeze, was running towards him. Her smile could have blinded a lesser man, but Matt merely grinned back, taking her into his arms and spinning them both around in one smooth movement.

"That was sooooooo amazing!" She giggled, burying her face deep into his shoulder. Matt breather in the scent of her hair, vanilla and lavender, feeling blessed to have someone like Julie in his life. She even managed to make winning the state championships better: he knew that she hated the sport, which made her genuine response that much more touching.

"I love you Julie," he breathed out, barely a whisper.

"I love you too babe."

_CRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHKKKKKKKKKK_

Once again there was a loud screeching noise, except this time he was sure he wasn't imagining it. Matt swung his legs over the side of the bed as slowly as possible, trying not to wake Carlotta, who was asleep beside him. Carlotta. She was beautiful, mature, and the only girl he had ever had sex with, but she wasn't Julie. He didn't love her. But he did know that she wasn't going anywhere seeing as how she was basically an employee.

_SHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGG_

And apparently she sleeps like a rock, because even this god awful noise wasn't waking her up. He padded into the living kitchen, barely noticing the clock on the wall reading 2:51.

"Grandma?" He asked, half exasperatedly, half amusedly. Leave it to his grandmother to wake up at 2:30 and decide that a banana smoothie is really what she needs.

"Oh Matt honey! Good your up, I was worried I was gonna wake you. You know that nice girl Julie came by and we were just chatting away. I think she likes you Matthew…" He let her ramble on, taking in about every fifth word. It wasn't that it was uncommon for his grandmother's Alzheimer's to act up (although she had been doing a lot better lately) but that he remembered how much she had liked Julie, and what a great girlfriend Julie had been in that respect. Carlotta was great, but Matt's grandmother was her responsibility, whereas Julie was just a high school student. In fact, this was part of the reason Matt now found himself so attracted to Carlotta; she reminded him a lot of Julie in how she dealt with these things, although he'd never tell her so. Smash always said that u should never compare girls to each other, or ever mention an ex girlfriend. This was often easier said than done.

"Matthew!?!?! Matthew? Did you hear what I said?"

"No grandma what's that?"

"You should invite her over more often. I'm sure she and Carlotta would get along great."

Matt smiled to himself at the irony of this statement.


	2. When angry count to ten, when very angry

First it was my mother, with the whole Noah- I mean Mr. Barnett- thing. Now, it's my father, thinking Tim took advantage of me or something! What are they delusional? How on earth could they possibly think that anything was going on with either one of them? Apparently, I'm not allowed to have friends who are male. Just because they were totally right about the Swede they think that they know EVERYTHING! Which they just…don't.

"Hey dad I-" False alarm…again. How long am I going to have to wait for him to get out of this incessant locker room? The smell is not exactly what one would call _savory_, but if he thinks he can avoid me just by hiding out among the sweaty pig-brains that rule this hellhole, he is sadly mistaken. Ahhh, he here is!

"Dad!"

"Oh Julie honey. Great. Tell your mother that practice is going late today so whatever she was planning on making she should put it in the oven for me. You make sure to tell her that. That way she can't get mad if-"

"-DAD! I'm not telling mom anything. We need to talk about this Tim thing right now."

"Now Julie baby you need to cool down."

"You and mom ruin everything!"

"What's your mother got to do with this? You mean that thing with the Swede?"

"He has a name dad!!!" Although at the moment I am having a little trouble remembering quite what it is

"You just need to stop pursuing these older boys honey. And I know you think that Riggins is changed honey, I thought so too. But he can't take advantage of you like that. He can't take advantage of MINE and your MOTHER'S hospitality-"

"What are you talking about taking advantage of me? I was drunk and-"

"What were you doing drinking? I thought you were going to see Lois…"

"-and he was just helping me into bed so that he wouldn't wake you and-" –and there goes Matt. Oh God. He would have to see me when I am on the verge of tears. Real attractive Julie. What am I talking about? It's not like I can ever compete with the sexy Hispanic chick he's got **living **with him. I bet she walks around like naked…making enchiladas. Matt likes them…

"I know what I saw and I will not have that under my roof Julie!"

"I like Tim dad. And you did too until yesterday. You don't even know what you're talking about."

"He was taking advantage of you Julie!"

"He wasn't!"

"What, so you've been planning on inviting him up to your room at 1 in the morning!?!?"

That was all Matt needed to hear. He stood there dumbstruck for a second, not really sure if he wanted to hear the rest of this obviously private conversation. The bell made that decision for him though: it's loud clanging drowned out the last of whatever Coach Taylor had said, but whatever it was, Julie seemed less than amused and stalked off angrily.

How could Julie like Riggins? He was fine to go to a party with, and he might be able to see the connection if she was a thirty year old woman, but…Julie was just way too good for Tim. Matt moved back towards the locker room in a daze, only half aware of where his feet were taking him. She had slept with Riggins. What a slut. Not Julie (how could she be a slut when he had done the same thing with Carlotta?), but Riggins. He was always taking advantage of people. Without realizing it Matt had broken into a run, sprinting through rows of his teammates to get to that animal. Matt stopped dead in his tracks, trying vainly to catch his breath while figuring out just what he wanted to say to Riggins.

"Hey Saracen, how's the lady friend?" Subconsciously Matt realized he was likely talking about Carlotta, not Julie, but it didn't matter. He attacked with vengeance, trying to kick, punch, or break any part of Tim that he could get his hands on. The fight lasted about 2 seconds though, as the rest of the team was quick to break them apart.

"What the hell is your problem Saracen?!" Tim screamed, nursing his bloody lip.

"You. You stay away from her," Matt stalked off, feeling his left eye already beginning to swell. Seeing Coach Taylor in the doorway, he thought for a second that maybe he would understand.

"In my office _**now**_. They I want to see you outside running laps until you learn to keep your temper under control son!"

Of course not.

­­­­­­

All through practice all Matt could think of was how much he just wanted one more chance to kick Tim Riggin's ass.


End file.
